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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27527095">All In Together</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writtenonmybody/pseuds/Writtenonmybody'>Writtenonmybody</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>They had each other [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Fluff and Angst, Force-Sensitive Finn (Star Wars), Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Minor Armitage Hux/Kylo Ren, Minor Kylo Ren/Rey, Minor Poe Dameron/Finn/Rey, POV Multiple, Unresolved Sexual Tension</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-08 06:09:14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>12,696</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27527095</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writtenonmybody/pseuds/Writtenonmybody</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Did you hear,” Finn continued, “the last bunch of recruits whispering about you after the last training session? That’s why you’re the poster boy for the Resistance.”</p><p>“Please, scoffed Poe.  “You’ve got your own fan club, hero.”</p><p>Finn shook his head wryly.  “Wait until after we’ve won the war.  Then they’ll be really crazy.”</p><p>A shadow Passover over Poe’s face and he stepped out into the light of the sun.  “We should check in with Leia.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Armitage Hux/Kylo Ren, Chewbacca &amp; Ben Solo, Chewbacca &amp; Finn, Chewbacca &amp; Han Solo, Chewbacca &amp; Leia Organa, Chewbacca &amp; Luke Skywalker, Chewbacca &amp; Poe Dameron &amp; Finn &amp; Rey, Chewbacca &amp; Rey, Finn &amp; Armitage Hux, Finn &amp; Jannah (Star Wars), Finn &amp; Rey (Star Wars), Poe Dameron &amp; Armitage Hux, Poe Dameron &amp; Finn, Poe Dameron &amp; Finn &amp; Rey, Poe Dameron &amp; Rey, Poe Dameron/Finn, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Zorii Bliss &amp; Finn, Zorii Bliss &amp; Poe Dameron</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>They had each other [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1921273</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Preparing</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Viewing TROS through the different characters but grounded in the love and angst of Finn and Poe (because maybe if I write it all out then I'll be able to move on. Or maybe not.) There's minor reference to a fanfic I wrote that's not in the series called How Do You Know You're in Love, which I envision as happening before. But it doesn't need to be read for this to make sense. This is the first time I've written about Chewie's perspective. Not really sure if it works or not. Comments (and kudos :) appreciated!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I.	Rey</p>
<p>Poe was completely insufferable.  He was constantly giving orders and constantly in a bad mood.  He wasn’t getting a lot of sleep either.  He had gotten into yet another fight with Rey.  She was going on about how Ajan Kloss was a perfect place for her training.</p>
<p>“Training!” Poe had practically yelled.  “More training? For what?  You’re the best fighter we have!  We need you in the field!”  </p>
<p>It drove Rey absolutely crazy how Poe would deliver compliments while yelling at the person he was complimenting.  Plus Rey wanted to be in the field too.  It was hard for her to watch Poe, Finn, Chewie and others go out on missions without her.  They risked their lives every time and she knew she could help.</p>
<p>At the same time she was afraid.  She had wanted to take Kylo – no, Ben’s - hand.  She needed to finish her training.  She needed the Jedi, all the Jedi of the past, to be with her if she was ever going to defeat him.  Besides it was Leia’s decision.  She was Leia’s padawan, so if Leia wanted her to stay then she was expected to stay.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>II.	Poe</p>
<p>Leia being the one to keep Rey on base for training did not change Poe’s feelings whatsoever.  He was Leia’s second-in-command now, though she hadn’t made a formal declaration.  Besides, Poe was sure that if Rey decided she must be out in the field, Leia would let her go.  Every single time she stayed when they went out on a mission, Poe felt like Rey was abandoning him and, worse, abandoning Finn.  </p>
<p>On top of which every single time he was flying the Falcon Chewie was always roaring in Shiryiiwook, “But Rey would do this and Rey would do that.”</p>
<p>“Well, she’s not here.  Is she?” Poe would growl back.</p>
<p>The only upside for Poe was that he and Finn were going on missions together.  They had never talked about what happened in the canteen, or about Rose, and Finn had stopped talking about kissing anyone.  They went back to always sitting without a breath of space between them, playing Dejarik as a team, still losing to Chewie every time of course.  Poe had started wearing his mother’s wedding ring on a chain around his neck under his shirt.  He often fiddled with the chain unconsciously, especially around Finn.  </p>
<p>Poe was wrestling with his loss of faith.  He had not recovered from the doubt that had taken root when no one responded to their call at Crait, particularly after his disastrous decisions regarding Canto Bight.  He didn’t talk about it, even to Finn, as he didn’t want it to infect anyone else.  Besides, they still had Leia.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>III.	Finn</p>
<p>Finn didn’t know what was on the chain and he wanted to ask but something made him hold back.  He had imagined drawing the chain up, his fingertips trailing up Poe’s chest, asking the question soft and low.  Then he would shake himself.  If Poe wanted to kiss him, Finn reminded himself, Poe would have done it already.  Poe had said when Finn knew what he wanted, then he should ask.  So if Poe wanted Finn, he would ask.  But then Finn did know what he wanted, and he wasn’t asking...  </p>
<p>Finn figured he probably should not sit so close, should not lean into Poe’s chest when Poe wrapped his arm around Finn’s shoulder or put his hand on his strong muscled arm.  Regardless, neither of them stopped.  They had been on so many missions together now trying to rebuild the Resistance, and Finn had started to notice how many shady people and skills Poe knew.  Poe could hotwire anything, win at gambling both honestly and by cheating.  He could spot the underworld anywhere they went, which was very handy as so many of their missions now involved espionage.  Finn was trying to find out how a son of war heroes, former star pilot in the New Republic Navy, current star pilot in the Resistance learned how to navigate the underworld.  Finn had asked around but no one seemed to know, and Poe just said things like ‘natural talent’ with a rakish wink.</p>
<p>The tide had turned.  Not in terms of the First Order. They were still firmly in charge.  However the Resistance was rebuilding and the destruction of the Hosnian system was raising support for the Resistance in the wider galaxy, even amidst the terror it simultaneously inspired.  Ships were coming in, mostly old and in need of repair, but still.  New recruits were coming in, and the new base had not yet been detected.  The odds were still absurdly not in their favor, as C3PO illustrated to an insufferable exactitude far too often.</p>
<p>Every morning Finn went for a run.  Discipline was drilled into him and now that he was all in with the Resistance, his focus had to be dragged to anything else.  Generally speaking Rey was the only one who could focus on the Resistance while also focusing on the beauty and surprises of each moment.  The joy of having friends, the many hues of green that existed in a jungle, the strangeness of having people know her name.  She had this child-like quality of being utterly delighted by the new experiences around her while simultaneously working towards their objective, the rebuilding of the Resistance, the Jedi, and the elimination of the First Order.  Finn loved this about her.</p>
<p>Poe had the same single-minded attention as Finn.  When they weren’t on a mission together, they were training and organizing new recruits together, or sparring together.  Sometimes it was competitive target practice, sometimes it was hand-to-hand combat. Mostly it relieved the sexual tension between them. But sometimes it got intense.  They finished each other’s sentences, communicated with a look, or just by the way in which they said each other’s name.</p>
<p>Which is part of why it annoyed Finn so thoroughly that Poe would not explain how he gained his questionable skills.  Finn kept trying to sneak a confession out of him.  Poe always dissembled or outright avoided the subject.  Finn hadn’t noticed at first but the sheer number of secret missions highlighted it.  There were a lot of great pilots in the Resistance.  Well, not a lot because, so many had died.  Leia needed pilots.  Nonetheless she had even fewer members of the Resistance who could lie, steal, and navigate crimelords with the finesse that Poe did.  He knew their language, and not knowing how was driving Finn mad.  Of course it was possible this was just a distraction from not knowing where the line of Poe’s love was drawn.  However, it was a good distraction.  </p>
<p> </p>
<p>One morning at dawn Finn jogged up to Poe who was standing at the mouth of the Falcon with a dreamy expression on his face.  He didn’t shift at Finn’s approach so Finn just stood shoulder to shoulder watching the sun rise.  </p>
<p>“This reminds me so much of home,” Poe sighed. Finn had heard that Yavin 4 had a similar ecosystem to Ajan Kloss.  “I used to just leave the ranch and head out into the jungle.  It’s even thicker than this.  Made my Dad crazy.”  Poe chuckled fingering the chain around his neck.</p>
<p>“That explains your orienteering skills,” Finn commented.  “Lots of criminals on Yavin 4?” Finn added.</p>
<p>“No,” Poe answered.  Realizing the point of the question, he deflected.  “What about yours?”  </p>
<p>The danger of trying to find out about someone’s past is that they’re likely to ask about yours.  Poe’s face still had that tender quality, so Finn decided to answer.  </p>
<p>“I don’t remember the planet I was born on.”</p>
<p>Poe put his arm around Finn’s shoulder. His deep eyes full of compassion and comfort.</p>
<p>Finn continued. “The initial training grounds must have been on a planet but most of what I remember are the stations.  Black and white metal mostly, no vegetation, hardly any color.”  </p>
<p>Silence settled between them.</p>
<p>“Lots of criminals though!” Finn said so brightly that Poe laughed.</p>
<p>“You’re a good man Finn.”</p>
<p>“Ah, not as good as the great Poe Dameron,” Finn teased.  </p>
<p>Poe rolled his eyes.</p>
<p>“Did you hear,” Finn continued, “the last bunch of recruits whispering about you after the last training session? That’s why you’re the poster boy for the Resistance.”</p>
<p>“Please, scoffed Poe.  “You’ve got your own fan club, hero.”</p>
<p>Finn shook his head wryly.  “Wait until after we’ve won the war.  Then they’ll be really crazy.”</p>
<p>A shadow Passover over Poe’s face and he stepped out into the light of the sun.  “We should check in with Leia.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>IV.	Chewie</p>
<p>People liked to refer to Chewbacca as a walking carpet.  Out of his hearing of course.  He knew though.  Right now, he was walking grief.  Before Han, his family had been slaughtered and Chewie had been enslaved.  He had learned not to trust any being and not to expect anyone to treat him as a thoughtful, emotional being.  He was a monster strong enough to rip your arms off, so he was kept in chains.  Then Han was thrown into the pit with him, and he became Chewie’s family.</p>
<p>Family had taken Han from him.  He had watched Ben grow up.  He had rocked him as a baby, cuffed him as a child, tried to love him, before Leia sent Ben away.  None of them were ever the same after that.  Decisions made in fear led to more fear, fear that had been twisted to spread darkness across the Galaxy.  </p>
<p>Chewie was cut in two when he saw Ben – Kylo – slice into Han with his saber.  If he hadn’t had Rey, Finn, and BB8 with him, he would have died avenging Han. He had a picture of Ben as a baby in his quarters on the Falcon. He had turned it face down. He couldn’t look at it anymore, but he couldn’t put it away either.</p>
<p>Chewie’s unhealed heart was cut in two again when Luke passed.  He’d only found out later, after they had brought what was left of the Resistance into the Falcon. Seeing Rey levitated the rocks behind the old Rebel base filled Chewie with memories.  She flew like Han and had power like Luke. What struck him most about her though was the way she treated every being, whether wookie or droid or human, as worthy of kindness. Regardless, the reason that he stayed was Leia.  She was all that he had left. He would stay as long as she needed him. </p>
<p>Finn and Poe provided Chewie a distraction from his grief.  Finn had been learning  Shyriiwook, but it was still a work in progress which allowed Chewie to have a great many jokes at Finn’s expense.  Chewie was becoming fond of Poe too. Poe’s confidence and swagger reminded him of Han, and his fiercely tender and loyal heart reminded him of Leia.  However Chewie did not like how Poe flew the Falcon. Chewie could have taken over the Captain’s quarters and the main piloting, but it was too painful.  </p>
<p>As far as Chewie was concerned, now that Han was gone, Rey was the only one who correctly flew their beloved ship.  Poe was far too reckless, lightspeed skipping, which shouldn’t even be possible, setting the Falcon on fire left and right as if the ship were some impervious to permanent damage.  Rey and Chewie both took great joy in critiquing Poe’s flying, something no one else in the entire fleet had the nerve to do.  Poe and Finn’s unspoken love reminded him of the early years of Han and Leia’s relationship.  Chewie was torn between fondness over the memories it stirred, and annoyance at the constant bickering flowing out of the sexual tension. Most of all though, Chewie loved beating Finn and Poe at Dejarik, and they still had no idea how he did it.  And he wasn’t telling.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Pasaana</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I.	Rey</p>
<p>Leia didn’t want Rey to leave to look for the Sith wayfinder on Pasana.  They both knew this was not a rational decision for General Organa, leader of the Resistance, the leader of the only hope of defeating Palpatine’s transition of the First Order into the Final Order. But Leia lost her son sending him away. She’d lost Ben giving up her own Jedi power rather than training him herself.  She wanted to train Rey longer.  She Leia wanted to keep Rey close. She loved her like a daughter and she didn’t want to lose her.</p>
<p>	“I don’t want to go without your blessing,” Rey said plaintively.  “But I will.” </p>
<p>        She poured her love and respect through her eyes, and through the Force, filling Leia.  “It’s what you would do.”</p>
<p>Leia assented.  What else could she do?  It was the only lead they had, and the clock was ticking.  Not to mention, Rey might just save them all.  Even with all she had lost, Leia still believed.  Still, Rey, Chewie, Poe, the droids, everyone who was left that she loved was going to head off in the ship that had been through it all, and something told Leia that she wouldn’t see them again.  At least, not in this life. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Rey tore herself away from the heartbreak in her Master’s eyes to prepare for the Mission.  This Mission was everything.  She gathered up the Jedi texts, her staff and saber, picking up speed in her preparations such that she was almost a blur. She didn’t want to see Finn. She didn’t want to have to say goodbye, or explain why she had to go. He’d want to come with her. </p>
<p>Rey didn’t want to see Poe either. He would want them all to go.  She was convinced if the situation was reversed that Poe would go alone, which irritated her to no end. At least the old Poe would have gone alone. Post-Crait Poe had abandoned the concept of the lone hero. No one left behind. No one left alone. But Rey needed to go alone. Kylo was out there. Ben was out there. Their dyad connection was so frequent now that she felt him even when she did not see him. He was present always, and she was either going to kill him or save him. Either way this was the end. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Finally, Rey was ready and Leia came to meet her. Tears were shining in Rey’s eyes as she didn’t know how to say goodbye to the woman who had become her teacher, her guide, and the only mother she could remember.</p>
<p>	“There are so many things I want to say to you…” Rey trembled. </p>
<p>	 She hadn’t told her the turmoil in her heart over her son. How could she? She hadn’t told her the turmoil in her heart over herself. Naturally, Leia knew.</p>
<p>	“Don’t be afraid of who  you are,” Leia soothed.</p>
<p>Rey still wasn’t sure who she was. The Jedi hadn’t come to her. Despite her training, with Luke and then Leia. All her life on Jakku she had scavenged items lost by members of the Resistance, idolizing them, and believing in what they represented.  Now here she was, a Resistance fighter and a Force-user.  The power within her was awesome, both inspiring and terrifying.  Was she the strong wielder of light and hope that Leia believed her to be? Or the wielder of darkness that Kylo wanted her to be? </p>
<p>	“You will be a different kind of Jedi,” Leia pronounced as if hearing Rey’s thoughts. “You place kindness above power. You have always just wanted connection, to be loved.”</p>
<p>	Rey wanted to sob like a child in Leia’s arms. </p>
<p>       “My father – Anakin –“ Leia began.</p>
<p>       Rey’s surprise at hearing Leia refer to Anakin Skywalker as her father stopped her tears. </p>
<p>       “He attempted to amass power to save my mother but it was that which made him lose her. He never thought to turn to Obi-wan who loved him like a brother. My brother, my husband, and I pushed away my son, and each other, and it was that which made me lose him. My son – “ Leia breathed deep to harness her emotion to continue. “He does not know that I still love him.”  </p>
<p>      Leia put her hands on Rey’s shoulders and said, “Don’t push away your family.” </p>
<p>     “I don’t have a family.” Rey choked</p>
<p>     “Of course you do.” Leia’s eyes swept over the Millenium Falcon and returned to Rey. “You know to whom you belong. Stay connected, love and be loved.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>II.	Poe</p>
<p>Rey was going to Pasaana to find the Sith wayfinder that would lead to the planet Exegol.  Poe hadn’t told her they were all coming, just started loading the Falcon.  He’d leave it to Finn to tell her.  She’d want to go alone, which irritated Poe, but it didn’t matter.  Palpatine was back.  Attacks on all free worlds were beginning in 16 hours.  If they were all going to die, they were going to die with the people they loved.  </p>
<p>Poe had decided Finn, Chewie, BB8, and C3PO would be part of the mission.  He left the decision of whether Rose was to come up to General Organa.  Poe and Rose had become friends but Poe still hadn’t let go of the fact that she’d kissed Finn. </p>
<p>      Ah well, he thought, at least if I do die, I will stop obsessing about that kiss.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>      After Poe and Leia had discussed the mission for the last time, she had laid her jeweled hand on his shoulder.  “Poe.”</p>
<p>     “General.”</p>
<p>     “Son, it’s about time you call me Leia.”</p>
<p>     Suddenly C3PO toddled up with that unerring ability pick the worst possible moment and say the worst possible thing.  </p>
<p>     “The supplies are aboard, just the crew to add, and since we may all die, we should say our goodbyes.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Later, after they’d been discovered by the Order, crashed the speeders Poe had hotwired, and were sinking in the Sinking Sands of the Shifting Mire, that last moment with Leia was what ran through Poe’s head.  He hadn’t said goodbye.  He hadn’t said I love you, to Leia, to anyone.  Poe thought they were all going to die, drowning in sand and regret.  Yet here they were on the other side, another impossible chance to begin again, another chance to open his kriffin' mouth and say the things that rang so plainly through his heart.  </p>
<p>     “I thought we were goners,” Poe said to Finn, his voice husky and on the edge of spilling out his emotions.  </p>
<p>Finn grabbed his arm, pulled him closer, and stared into his eyes in the way that made Poe feel like no one else existed in the entire world but the two of them.</p>
<p>     But they weren't alone, and they weren't safe, and not even a second a later Rey asked Finn, "what did you want to tell me?"  </p>
<p>     “I’ll tell you later,” Finn said with a lowered voice, clearly attempting to keep Poe from hearing.  </p>
<p>But Poe heard, and he knew what that meant. Despite the fact that Finn said he and Rey were just friends, what else could Finn want to tell Rey with Poe not around? No doubt the same thing he had wanted to say to her before he died. Poe had heard Finn's words before he slid through the sands.</p>
<p>     "Rey, I never told you! Rey - "  I love you was the standard dying declaration. Wasn’t it? </p>
<p>     For everyone else, Poe thought with stabs of regret and loss.  </p>
<p>     Naturally he expressed his frustration and hurt through snarky anger.  Physically pushed through Rey and Finn snapping, “You mean when Poe’s not around?”</p>
<p>     “Yes,” Finn had said defensively, wanting to grab Poe and shake him.</p>
<p>     “Great, we’re going to die and we’re all keeping secrets.”  </p>
<p>      This was the other reason Poe and Rey were always fighting.  He knew there were things she only shared with Finn, despite how Poe and Rey’s friendship had grown.  How was it possible that he could be jealous of both of them?</p>
<p>	“I’ll tell you when you tell us about all the shifty stuff you do!” Finn rejoined. </p>
<p>	There was zero chance that Poe was going to explain that.  He figured he was already a shadow in Finn’s mind next to the light of the pure and beautiful Rey.  Poe didn’t want to fall even further in Finn’s eyes. Rey unsheathed the lightsaber and it lit up the cave.  Poe unsheathed his flashlight, recovering his state of mind with a cheeky display of faux dueling masculinity.  Finn grimaced at Poe and rolled his eyes, but fondly. Good humor was restored, if not good sense.  </p>
<p> </p>
<p>III.	Finn</p>
<p>Finn wanted to kick himself.  He’d meant to talk to Rey earlier but there hadn’t been time, and she had so much going on.  Now he could tell Poe was hurt, and Poe probably thought what Finn wanted to tell Rey was something else entirely.  Once again Finn’s body remembered Poe’s hands on his chest, his jacket, pulling him close, his whisper sending chills from his ears to his toes.  His toes. </p>
<p>     Rose had said a kiss should be like "a shot of Flameout rushing from your lips through your heart to your toes.”  </p>
<p>     Poe had said, “When you know what you want, just lean in and ask.” </p>
<p>Finn had gotten very good at leaning in, but he could never get to the asking. Poe was so moof-milking verbal.  About a thousand times Finn saw himself circling his arms around Poe’s waist, sliding his hands down and cupping the ass Poe’s pants always showed off so well, pressing Poe’s hips into his.  Poe would moan so low only Finn could hear as the tightness in both their pants met.  Finn would kiss him, long and slow and hungry, so very hungry.</p>
<p>     Even in Finn’s fantasies though he couldn’t get out the words, “Can I kiss you?”</p>
<p>Despite their inability to communicate, they grounded each other.  When Poe’s fear was pushing the urge to shoot the creature in the sand tunnel, Finn remembered that Poe had called out for Finn before he acted. Finn kept him restrained.  When Finn started to rush to Luke’s side as he faced the entire First Order, Poe kept him restrained.  </p>
<p>    There are other ways we could restrain each other, Finn’s thoughts burned inside. He groaned miserably at his inability to keep his desire in check. </p>
<p>Finn tried to be satisfied just knowing that even without all the things he wanted, they were still better together.  They helped each other without even thinking about it.  If Poe was climbing, Finn gave him a leg up.  If Finn needed something, Poe found a way to give it.  At the same time they both felt the other was hiding something.  And of course, they both were.  It just happened to be the same thing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>When Finn and Poe reached Ochi’s ship, Rey had already wandered off into the desert.  Poe was swearing under his breath.  There she went again, leaving them as she always did.  Finn sent Chewie to get her, knowing Chewie was the only one she might actually listen to.</p>
<p>	“Ren,” groaned Finn.  </p>
<p>He sensed Ren.  He sensed Ren the way Ren had sensed him that night in Tuanal, when Ren knew that FN 2187 had not fired his blaster.  Chewie hadn’t returned either so Finn raced off in search of them.</p>
<p>	“Naturally she kriffing takes off and naturally he kriffing runs after her,” Poe said with both the frustration of the would-be lover and the commander of erstwhile troops.</p>
<p>In the same way that Poe felt Finn was always running away from him towards Rey, Finn felt Rey was always running away from him towards Ren.  She believed there was still light in him, that Ben Solo was still in there.  Finn did not.  Finn had been there when Kylo Ren told them to slaughter an entire village.  Finn had seen Poe after Ren’s mental violation.  Finn’s scar seared on his back whenever Ren’s lightsaber was near.  Rey had this notion that murdering his father haunted Ren, that somehow the love of his parents could still save Ben Solo.  But Finn had been taken from his parents by the First Order of which Kylo Ren was the Supreme Leader, with or without Palpatine.  Finn knew that family can’t always save you. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>IV.	Chewie</p>
<p>Chewie left Ochi’s ship to get Rey to return. Normally he growled at Finn when Finn tried to get bossy, but Chewie was worried about Rey too.  Probably that’s why he didn’t smell them ahead of time. He rounded a dune and was surrounded by a squad of stormtroopers with raised blasters. Resisting would have been instant death. He roared in frustration as they strapped on metal cuffs. Rey was busy, busy flipping over Ren’s ship.  Gleefully the stormtroopers led Chewie into the transport, and took off.  Chewie had no idea that there was another transport, that Rey had destroyed it thinking he was on it.  He had no idea they thought he was dead.</p>
<p>Regardless, Chewie didn’t know if Poe, Rey, and Finn would try to rescue him. Their bonds were new. How strong were they? It would be foolish thing to attempt a rescue. Palpatine’s clock was counting down, and their success was almost absurdly unlikely. But then again, every time Chewie had ever been with Han success had been absurdly unlikely.  Yet here he was.  Not Han though.  Han was not here. Some might say Han’s luck had run out, but Chewie knew he had walked into that saber, hoping his sacrifice would save his son. Chewie roared mournfully. </p>
<p>Neither the stormtroopers nor the officers spoke Shiirywook. They made their meaning clear with the push and slam of blasters. They were quite gleeful with the capture of such a high-profile target. Chewie had fought in the Clone Wars, the Rebellion, and now the Resistance. They might not be able to understand Shiirywook, but they could find someone who did. Or Ren could enter his mind. Or they could torture and kill him just for the fun of it.  The First Order looked down upon every species that was not human. Their order was a hierarchical one, with humans on top. Even their cannon fodder stormtroopers were human. As far as they were concerned other species were not even good enough to be a part of their army, so their masochistic glee was doubled as they contemplated Chewie’s end.</p>
<p>Chewie wasn’t worried about giving up information. He’d been tortured before. He wondered if Kylo was on this ship, what he was doing, who he might be torturing.  Was anestethizing himself with violence? Was he thinking about his father, his uncle, Chewie, or his mother? Chewie didn’t believe Kylo would come to him. Maybe because he was so focused on Rey, or maybe because even now perhaps some small part of Chewie still held a bit of hope, still remembered how the cries of the baby boy had stilled when he rocked him in his soft arms purring a low purr only a baby could hear. Chewie didn’t believe Ben would kill him, but he didn’t believe he would save him either.  So Chewie prepared himself to die.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Kijimi</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I. Poe</p><p>Chewie was gone, and they didn’t even have time to mourn.  Poe didn’t want to see Zorii again, despite how long it had been. Poe had left Zorii high and dry, both in terms of their almost-relationship and in terms of stealing her ship and their bosses’ money. Poe knew that Zorii would have been on the hook for that since she had brought him in to the crew in the first place.  Poe had tried to talk her joining the Resistance.  She should have known he would leave.  She could have come with him.  In reality, Poe knew they would never have lasted in an actual relationship, even if she had come with him.  The Resistance would have gotten a kriffin’ good fighter though.  </p><p>Still if she had come with him, Poe might not have Finn. Of course, Poe didn’t actually have Finn, and he needed to stop thinking he did.  He had to get over Finn.  Poe was beginning to think that would never happen.  He would never feel about anyone the way he felt about Finn.  Yet the constant crushing of Poe’s heart couldn’t go on forever.<br/>
I have to find a way to move on, Poe told himself.</p><p> </p><p>What Poe wanted didn’t matter. There were 8 hours until the attacks began, and they had no other ideas. If they were going to get the location of the wayfinder from C3PO’s memory circuits they needed a black-market droidsmith, and Kijimi was the only place Poe knew one.  </p><p>	“For Chewie,” Rey said taking Finn’s hand.</p><p>	Finn held Rey’s hand, and reached out to Poe with his other.</p><p>	“Hands?” Poe wanted to blow something up, not hold hands.  </p><p>	“Hands,” Finn said firmly.</p><p>Poe was full of rage and grief, but it was Finn insisting so of course Poe took his hand.  C3PO rushed in to take Poe’s other hand.  For all his absurdity, C3PO was a very tender-hearted droid.  Not that that made him any less irritating.  </p><p>Poe couldn’t take it any longer. He lifted their hands and squeezed, ending the impromptu mini memorial.</p><p>	“To Kijimi.”</p><p>II. Zorii </p><p>The First Order was everywhere on Kijmi.  Somehow, they had tracked them and stormtroopers were around every corner. They dodged into an alley to avoid a squadron, and Zorii’s blaster was pointed at Poe’s head.</p><p>	“I want to see your brains in the snow.”</p><p>	“So…still mad then?”  </p><p>Poe knew she would still be mad, even though it’d been ten years.  No one held a grudge like Zorii.  Still, he deserved it.    </p><p>       “What’s going on?” Finn said suspiciously. </p><p>       “Guys,” Poe introduced genially as if there weren’t guns pointed all around.  “This is Zorii; Zorii, Rey and Finn.”</p><p>       “I could pull this trigger right now.” Zorii groused ignoring Rey and Finn.</p><p>	“I’ve seen you do worse.  For a lot less.”  </p><p>Poe took down his hood and opened his beseeching eyes.  Maybe the reminder of his pretty face would help. </p><p>       “Can we just talk about this?”  </p><p>Zorii had a better nature, and Poe appealed to it.  </p><p>       “Zori, we could use your help.  We got to crack this droid’s head open and fast.  We’re trying to find Babu Frick.”</p><p>	“Babu?  Babu only works for the crew, and that’s not you anymore.”  Zorii’s voice dripped bitterness.</p><p>	“What crew?”  Rey was worried now.</p><p>Poe desperately shook his head silently begging Zori. He didn’t want Rey and Finn to know that he had been a spicerunner. However this only made it that much more delicious for Zorii to reveal his secret.</p><p>	“Oh, funny he never mentioned it.  Your friend’s old job was running spice.”</p><p>	“You were a spice runner?” Finn said in shock.</p><p>	Kriffing kriff, thought Poe.  </p><p>        “You were a stormtrooper?” he said defensively.</p><p>	“Were you a spice runner?” Rey echoed.</p><p>	Really? Rey too.  She forgave everybody. Kriffing everything. </p><p>        “Were you a scavenger?” Poe said to Rey, and then to them both he said, “We could do this all night!”</p><p>	“You don’t have all night,” bit Zorii.  “I’m still digging out of the hole you put me in when you left to join the Resistance.”  She circled the three of them like a panther.  “You,” she said to Rey soft and deadly.  “You’re the one they’re looking for her.” </p><p>       Then she said to her crew,  “Bounty for her just might cover us.”  Nodding to them she yelled, “Jakanka!”</p><p>	“Don’t jakanka,” Poe groaned.  </p><p>But they attacked.  Rey didn’t have time for this. With a sweep of her shaft she brought them all down.  Finn and Poe leapt back staring at Rey wide-eyed.  </p><p>        Damn, Poe thought, she’s even better than she was before she trained with Leia.  We are kriffing lucky she’s on our side.</p><p>	Rey paused with her saber at Zorii’s helmet.  Zorii was on the ground blaster still raised.  She would have died fighting Rey, but Rey paused.  </p><p>       “We could really use your help,” Rey said echoing Poe. Then she added,  “Please.”</p><p>	Zori admired Rey’s fierce power.  Her admiration made her feel vulnerable.  “Not that you care,” she prefaced defensively, “but I think you’re okay.”</p><p>	“I care.” </p><p>Rey always cared.  Her greatest strength, and weakeness.</p><p>Zori took Rey’s outstretched hand and led the three down an alley, and into the den of Babu Frick.</p><p> </p><p>III.Finn</p><p>	“Poe Dameron, spice runner,” chuckled Finn with glee as they hurried along.</p><p>	“Alright,” Poe grumbled.</p><p>	“Get your spice!” Finn teased.  </p><p>So many things made sense now.  Finn was going to be teasing Poe about this for a long time, if they survived.  Finn felt even closer to Poe.  Clearly Poe had also done things he regretted.</p><p>Finn had accepted the fact that killing stormtroopers meant killing people that he had known.  But it still wasn’t easy.  The masks kept him from knowing which stormtrooper he shot, but they were not machines.  They were human beings. He felt he couldn’t be the only stormtrooper who wanted out. But those other stormtroopers hadn’t found a pilot to rescue, a pilot to save them, a pilot to give them a name. The shame of what he had done when he was as a stormtrooper battled with the shame of killing them now. Somehow Poe having made bad choices in his youth made Finn feel less ashamed. He and the other stormtroopers had been children born to die, cheaper than a clone’s army.  Whenever he thought of it the rage grew in Finn, and so did his commitment to the Resistance as a whole.</p><p>They entered an underground cantina and wound their way through to the back.  Finn took in everything imagining a young Poe swaggering about making deals and enemies. Winding their way to the back, they entered an inner room where Babu Frick was working.  The longer they were there the less jovial Finn was feeling.  It was obvious that Poe and Zori had a history, not just as spice runners in the same crew.   They’d had something more.  Finn was sternly attempting to focus on their objective. All that mattered was finding the location of the wayfinder.  Zorii was translating Babu’s words.  Finn was still new to the churning of conflicting emotions.  He was still working on identifying and naming them.  Sadness, frustration, anger, and hurt were rising in waves.  He had an absurd desire to place himself bodily between Poe and Zorii.  He was having crazy thoughts, losing Poe while he stood right next to him. </p><p> </p><p>Zorii was appalled when she found out that the reason they needed Babu was to retract the memory of the Sith language from one of their droids. What the hell was Poe doing that he needed to translate Sith? No doubt something stupid and heroic, no doubt something the fate of the Galaxy hinged on, she thought. She squelched the urge to point her blaster at Poe’s head again. </p><p>When Babu told them that C3PO’s memory would be wiped they could have just forced him.  Yet they left the choice up to C3PO. One of the things Zori loved about Poe was that Poe never forced anyone to do anything. Even in the worst circumstances he always believed there was a way out. It wasn’t right to force a being, even if that being was a droid. Poe inspired love and loyalty in everyone around him wherever he went.  Clearly, C3PO loved them, if a droid could be said to love.  And why not?</p><p>	C3PO echoed the words that Poe had said before they had arrived on this Force-forsaken planet.  “If this mission fails, it’s all for nothing.  All we’ve done.  All this time.” </p><p>	Then, C3PO gazed at Rey, Poe, Finn, and BB8 for a long moment uncharacteristically silent.</p><p>	“What are you doing?” Poe asked finally unable to restrain himself any longer.</p><p>	“Taking one last look, sir, at my friends.”  </p><p>Poe and Finn felt badly for all the times they had been irritated and snapped at C3PO.  He could be so annoying.  Yet it was always intended to be in their service, even now, even to his end. Of course Rey had never been unkind to him, because that’s who she was.  She showed kindness to everyone, even Zorii just after she had attacked her, even Kylo after all he had done.  She always looked into the heart inside. </p><p>IV. Zorii </p><p>Zorii snapped herself out of straying into affection for Poe’s new crew. After all who was to say he wouldn’t leave them like he left her. Though even as the thought rose in her, she knew it wasn’t true. She knew Poe wouldn’t leave them.  </p><p>“Night raids are going to start soon.  I’ll keep look out.”</p><p>“I’m coming with you,” Poe said to Finn’s consternation. </p><p>Zori laughed at Poe’s ‘offer.’ “You still don’t trust me, huh?”</p><p>“Did you ever trust me?”</p><p>“Nope.” </p><p>Not trusting each other definitely didn’t mean they hadn’t slept together. Watching them head up the stairs to the roof together, Finn realized the thing he was feeling was jealousy.</p><p> </p><p>For a moment, Poe and Zorii were silent both lost in their memories of the past. They remembered the old closeness.  Neither of them had anything steady since then, not that what they had could be called steady. </p><p>       Until Finn, Poe thought. But then remembered, I don’t have Finn.  </p><p>Zorii showed Poe the Captain’s medallion that would allow her to enter any port on any ship.  </p><p>      “A Captain’s Medallion! I’ve never even seen one.”  She really was amazing.  Poe always appreciated strong women.  </p><p>Zori opened the visor so Poe could see her eyes.  </p><p>     “Come with me,” she said wistfully.  She knew even as she said it that he never would.</p><p>     “I can’t walk out on this war.” On Finn. On Leia.  On Rey.  On all those they had already lost, all those they would lose.  “Until It’s over.”  </p><p>     Watching the snow fall on the stormtroopers in the streets, he added.  “Maybe it is… We sent out a call for help at the Battle of Crait.  No one came.  They’ve given up.” </p><p>Zorii sighed resigned.  Poe walked out on her then and now here he was a decade later doing it again.  This time he was discouraged though.  Zori couldn’t leave it like this.  This wasn’t Poe.  </p><p>      “No. I don’t believe you believe that.”</p><p>Poe’s pain was plain.</p><p>      “Hey,” she reminded him. “They win by making you think you’re alone.  Remember?” </p><p>      That’s what Poe had said, a lifetime ago when he had tried to convince her to join the Resistance, when she had been the one feeling discouraged and cynical.  </p><p>      “There’s more of us,” she reiterated. Impulsively, Zorii decided to give Poe the Captain’s medallion, her way out of here, out of this life. This was more important.</p><p>      “Come with us!” Poe tried again as he’d had ten years before.  </p><p>Like an echo of the past, she nodded her head no.</p><p>Poe would probably never see her again.  He would probably never survive this war.  He would probably never be able to kiss Finn.  </p><p>      “Can I kiss you?”</p><p>      Zori laughed, pushing Poe away saying,  “Go.” </p><p>     Same old Poe, she thought, flyboy to the end.</p><p>Finn heard Poe. The words were a hot spike in his jealous heart, and he thought, I have to find a way to move on.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Destroyer</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I.	Rey</p>
<p>Ren’s destroyer arrived right after they got the information from 3PO.  Rey sensed it and raced up to the roof where she could see the ship hovering in the skies of Kijimi. Finn ran right after her, calling her name. She barely took notice of it. She was slipping away from Finn. She was so focused on the question of Ben, and the question of herself. Who was she? Finn said he knew her, just like Kylo had said he knew her.  But no one did. How could they when she wasn’t sure herself? Ren wanted Rey to come with him, to kill Palpatine and take his throne together.  She wanted to kill Palpatine too, and she told Finn about that.  She didn’t tell Finn or Poe or Chewie about Ren’s invitation, about her desire. How could she? Besides, she did not want to come with with Kylo. She wanted to come with Ben Solo.  </p>
<p>All of these thoughts were driven from her mind as she sensed Chewie’s life force bright, alive, and present on Ren’s ship.  She had been too horrified by the dark power she unleashed on the other transport to sense that Chewie’s life force had not gone out with the explosion. He had been taken on a different transport.</p>
<p>“We’ve got to go get him!” Poe cried jubilantly.  </p>
<p>There was no question.  For all Poe’s faults, thought Rey, he never doubted her Force sense, and friendship and loyalty were everything.  With Poe’s cocky confidence restored he was sure, despite the ticking clock, that they could get on the ship, get Chewie, get to the Imperial vault, and get the wayfinder. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The Captain’s medallion got them a landing bay, but the rest was on them.  They emerged shooting fast and hard.  Rey and Poe looked to Finn since he had been stationed on this ship.  Finn had no idea where he was going but that didn’t stop him from leading.  They rounded a corner and were trapped in a hall filled with stormtroopers.  Quickly Rey controlled them with the Force.  </p>
<p>With a wave of Rey’s hand, the stormtroopers told them where the prisoner was. They blasted the cameras and headed to the cell block. Suddenly Rey sensed the dagger. They had the directions of where to go from C3PO but something told Rey that there was more to it. They would need that dagger. Without even a moment’s pause, she told Finn and Poe that she would meet them at the hanger. She could feel  Finn start to go after her, again, to try to bring her back, and she was relieved as she felt Poe stopping him. Grinding his teeth in frustration and command Poe stopped Finn with a hand on his shoulder.  </p>
<p>“Chewie,” Poe reminded Finn.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>II.	Chewie</p>
<p>“Move, Animal,” the stormtrooper said.  </p>
<p>Those were the very same words another stormtrooper had said decades ago when he had been taken into slavery by the Empire. The same white stormtrooper armor, the same colorless walls, the same click of boots on metal, different droids but the same whir as they rolled past, the same metal cuffs, the same speciesism.  Just because Wookies were covered in hair humanoids thought they weren’t sentient. Just animals, as if animals did not also deserve life and freedom and dignity.</p>
<p>The stormtrooper prodded Chewie with a rod that dosed electricity. They pushed Chewie from the transport onto Ren’s destroyer. Not for the first time he thought back to the moment he decided to rejoin Han, leaving his planet and his family again. He couldn’t blame the life debt because that had been fulfilled. He couldn’t blame the Resistance because Leia hadn’t asked him to come. It had been Han who had asked. Not to return to battle but to their old life of smuggling. Losing Ben broken them all, and Chewie couldn’t let Han be alone in his grief. Leia had the Resistance to lead. What did Han have? Han had Chewie.</p>
<p>If Chewie were being completely honest, he had missed the excitement, the adrenaline of barely squeezing out of one life threatening situation after another. He wondered if Finn, Poe, and Rey survived this war, if they would be able to leave it behind, to live an ordinary life. He hadn’t managed, and here he was again, taken prisoner, future uncertain. At least this time he was a high profile prisoner. Not only a decorated warrior of multiple wars, a smuggler of goods and information, but also the Supreme Leader was his Godson. Was Kylo Ren still the Supreme Leader if Palpatine had returned? What did that even mean? Chewie wished Luke were still alive. He had killed the Emperor once after all. But wishing would not bring him back, or Han. Humans had such short lives compared to wookies. Grief was part and parcel of love. </p>
<p>The stormtroopers were given orders to leave the prisoner in a cell. They strapped him in so he couldn’t move. They spoke to each other as if Chewie couldn’t understand what they were saying. They weren’t supposed to torture him until Ren got back. Hux wanted to of course, but he had been demoted. Hux was no longer allowed to make decisions on his own, now that Ren was Supreme Leader and General Pryde, veteran of the Imperial Army had been reinstated. Apparently Ren was on Kijimi looking for Rey. Chewie was cheered by the knowledge that he hand’t found her. He prayed the Force would continue to be with her. </p>
<p>Chewie had resigned himself to the fact that they wouldn’t rescue him. This mission was everything. The success of the Resistance, the fate of the Galaxy, rested on it.  Besides it had only been a little over a year that he had known Finn and Rey, and been going on missions with Poe. That was a heartbeat in the life of a Wookie. And though it took only a heartbeat for them to be lodged firmly in Chewie’s fierce loyal heart, humans were notoriously unsteady.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>III.	Poe</p>
<p>When Rey so controlled the stormtroopers’ minds, Poe had a split-second flash of Kylo’s invasion of his mind, the violation and sound of his own scream ringing in his ears.  </p>
<p>“Does she do that to us?” Poe asked Finn, mostly knowing Rey didn’t but needing the reassurance of voicing the anxiety out loud with Finn’s solid presence standing right next to him.  Finn was here. It was all right.  </p>
<p>Poe didn’t have time for Finn’s overprotectiveness of Rey. They were here for Chewie. If Rey wanted to go after the dagger, that was on her. Besides she could take care of herself better than any of them could. Rey said she would meet them at the hangar, and Poe believed she would. Either way, she was making her own choice. As far as Poe was concerned, it was their fault Chewie got caught. They had sent him off Ochi’s ship on Pasana to get Rey when she left, on her own, again. Poe was the leader of this mission, and more than that, Chewie was his friend. He hadn’t been there when Han died. There was no way he was going to stand by and let Chewie die too.</p>
<p>Finn punched in the codes and the door opened. Poe marveled at his incredible memory and skill. Finn grinned in relief at Chewie’s face and Poe ran over releasing him. </p>
<p>Chewie roared his shock and joy and appreciation.</p>
<p>“Of course we came for you!” Poe responded putting his arms on Chewie’s shoulders.  </p>
<p>Chewie roared.</p>
<p>“Rey’s here too.” Finn assured him. “She’s getting the dagger.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>IV.	Finn</p>
<p>Chewie, Finn, and Poe raced back toward the ship mowing down stormtroopers left and right.  Suddenly Finn saw Poe go down.  Everything in Finn’s world froze.  He knew he was screaming Poe’s name but he couldn’t hear himself.  He couldn’t hear anything.  All this time Finn had been worried about Rey, and it was Poe who went down.  Finn raced past Chewie and dropped to his knees next to the love of his life.  </p>
<p>“Are you okay?”</p>
<p>“Nope,” Poe said drily his eyes trained on the blasters trained on them.  “Hey Fellas.”  </p>
<p>Hot relief spread through Finn.  It was only Poe’s arm that had been hit, and here he was, his Poe, always ready with a joke when he was staring death in the face. Unfortunately, Finn’s relief evaporated as the stormtroopers took them to Hux and Pryde.</p>
<p>“Terminate them,” said General Pryde leaving the dirty work to Hux and the ‘troopers. </p>
<p>Poe and Finn gazed into each other’s eyes.  The moment had finally come.  They had gotten Chewie back only to be captured again, only to die again.  They were all going to die.<br/>
Poe looked desperately at Finn. Finn thought Poe was going to say, I love you. </p>
<p>“What were you going to tell Rey?” is what came out instead.</p>
<p>Finn could not believe this. His disappointment sparked his irritation. “You still on that?”</p>
<p>“Oh, I’m sorry,” Poe said anger masking his hurt.  “Is this a bad time?”</p>
<p>“Sort of is,” Finn batted.</p>
<p>“Well, I guess later doesn’t really look like an option,” Poe pressed.  “If you’re going to let something off your chest, maybe now’s not the worst time.” </p>
<p>They were going to die right in the midst of their sexually frustrated emotionally stunted banter.  Chewie had it up to his eyeballs with their unexpressed love for each other.  It was like Han and Leia all over again, and he growled raging at them both.  </p>
<p>But it wasn’t the end.  Hux, of all the unexpected people, Hux shot all the stormtroopers. Finn, Poe, and Chewie stared at Hux stupidly unable to take in what was happening.</p>
<p>“I’m the spy!” Hux spat annoyed at their slowness.  </p>
<p>“I knew it!” crowed Poe. </p>
<p>“No, you didn’t.” Finn batted. </p>
<p>Hux led them quickly to the Millenium Falcon the Order had retrieved at Pasana. Poe was so ecstatic he was cooing.</p>
<p>“There she is. She’s a survivor.”</p>
<p>Maybe if I were a mechanical being, Finn thought angrily, then Poe would actually share his feelings. </p>
<p>Finn took great pleasure in shooting Hux in the leg to make the escape look good. </p>
<p>“You should have shot him in the stomach,” Poe commented as he and Chewie began powering up the Falcon.</p>
<p>“He helped us escape,” Finn exclaimed. “We can’t shoot him in a place where he might actually die.”</p>
<p>“He could die from a leg wound. You know, if we locked him up in the cell he belongs in.”</p>
<p>“Poe, he just saved our lives.”</p>
<p>“Sure, because he’s mad at his ex-boyfriend.”</p>
<p>“What?! He – Ren –  they - you - “ Finn sputtered incoherently.</p>
<p>“You heard what Hux said. He doesn’t care if we win. He just wants Kylo Ren to lose. Who gets that mad but someone who was in love?” </p>
<p>Poe’s eyes were dark and unreadable. Finn couldn’t tell if Poe was being his old risque self, or if Hux and Ren had indeed once been lovers. The question of whether Rey would be jealous of Hux if they were welled up, but Finn shook it off with a vengeance. Instead anger at Poe boiled past the point of banter. </p>
<p>Finn turned away from Poe, and left yelling back as he lowered the ramp for Rey, “Let’s get the kriff off this skytrash.”</p>
<p>Rey paused for a moment staring back and forth between Ren and the Falcon, as if unsure. Finn screamed her name, again, and she finally flung herself into space, knowing that Finn would catch her. And he did, and they leapt to lightspeed.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Kef Bir</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I. Finn </p>
<p>Poe, Rey, Finn,  Chewie, BB8, C3PO, and Dio ought to have been happy, if only for a moment.  Yet despite their escape, there was no elation in the group.  All of their nerves were even more frayed as they headed to the Endor system.  Finn was mad at Poe, and Poe didn’t know why.  Rey was withdrawing even more, insisting that no one knows her, which was making Finn afraid.  Dio was rolling around anxiously crying, “No thank you!” every time they bumped into something. And of course C3PO pronounced the worst utterances at the worst possible moments.  Finn and Poe were even more irritated with C3PO now that he was back online and didn’t remember them. Rey was irritated with them for being irritated.</p>
<p>	“It’s our fault he doesn’t remember,” Rey chided.</p>
<p>	“Doesn’t make it any less of a problem,” grumbled Poe.</p>
<p>Tension was high and emotions rampant.  Every parsec to the ruins of the Death Star, felt like a parsec closer to death. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>	Poe crashed the Falcon onto Kef-Bir, literally. Could he never just land a ship, Finn thought irritably. Everything Poe did was making him want to scream and he had no idea why. He wanted to strap both Poe and Rey down, for very different reasons and in very different ways. Now they were going to have to do repairs on the Falcon, again, before they could get out of here. Assuming they could find the wayfinder, which seemed impossibly out of reach all the while the clock was tick, tick, ticking to the onslaught of the Final Order.  </p>
<p>	As they crested the hill, they saw a tumultuous sea. The stormy ocean that lay between them and the Death Star, between them and the wayfinder, between them and the future. Rey knew it was there and the blade showed where, but they had no idea how they would get there. </p>
<p>As they stood desperate, a company of people astride orbaks rode toward them. Finn felt a shock of recognition.  He didn’t know what it meant. He had never seen them before, but there was something, some tremor in the Force, and he felt it .  Something connected them. The orbaks made Finn think of Rose. Rose was always drawn to creatures, especially large gentle ones like these. Finn missed her. She was always so enthusiastic and positive. Not like Poe who had been in a bad mood for – well, it was starting to feel like forever.  </p>
<p>Finn had been realizing for a while that he was Force sensitive.  He was afraid to tell Poe, afraid it would change the way Poe felt about him, whatever it was Poe did feel about him.  They had been through so much yet so much was still unsaid between them. </p>
<p>II. Jannah</p>
<p>Jannah rode forward toward them. She was clearly the leader of the company.  She had an air of command, but there was also something else. Her gaze lingered briefly on each of them, just a moment longer on Finn. </p>
<p>“Rough landing,” she said in a mild voice.</p>
<p>Poe had pulled out his blaster, naturally, and was pointing it at her. She appeared entirely unconcerned. “I’ve seen worse,” he stated.</p>
<p>“I’ve seen better,” she rejoined.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>This is it?? Jannah wondered to herself feeling the same mixture of fear and desire that she’d felt since the day they’d fled the First Order. “You Resistance?” </p>
<p>“That depends,” Poe said.</p>
<p>Snarky is what Zorii had called him over the airwaves. Clearly this was them. “We picked up a transmission from someone named Babu Frik.”</p>
<p>C3PO exclaimed, “Babu Frik? He’s one of my oldest friends!” The droid was hoping this would be helpful of course. Chewie growled under his breath but fortunately C3PO didn’t hear what he said.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jannah took a breath. They didn’t look impressive honestly, crashed ship and a lot of tension between them. Yet there was something else, she and her company could feel it: power. It had to be them. “He said you’d come. He said you were the last hope.”</p>
<p>Rey spoke up then. She knew Jannah wanted to believe.  “We have to get to that wreck. There’s something inside there we need.”</p>
<p>Jannah’s body responded to Rey’s words. Her voice spoke to something deep in Jannah, and the rest of the company felt the sensation too. Rey wasn’t trying to control them, and wasn’t even aware of what she was touching inside. Nonetheless, they aligned.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I can take you there by water.”</p>
<p>“Have you seen the water?” Finn said with a perturbed tone. </p>
<p>Jannah centered in on Finn again. She stared wondering if he could possibly be the one they had heard about.<br/>“Not now. It’s too dangerous. We can go by first light tomorrow.”</p>
<p>Rey tried to argue but Poe had taken over in that way he had. The decision was made, and she was furious. Everyone was already heading to the Falcon introducing themselves and talking about repairs. They could do what they wanted. She wasn’t going to wait. She had wanted to come on this trip alone anyway. She knew it would be a matter of time before it was just her and Ren. And there was no time like the present.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Finn sequestered himself in whatever part of the Falcon that needed was farthest from Poe or Rey. How could the two people he loved most in the world be so impossible.  Jannah had other members of her company help Poe, Chewie, and the droids. She went to give Finn the part he needed. Really though she went to find out if he was the one. </p>
<p>“It’s an O6 but it should work.” </p>
<p>“Thank you.” Finn’s head was fuzzy, like there was a memory just out of reach.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jannah didn’t know how to bring up the question she wanted to ask, but Finn took care of that. </p>
<p>“This is an old First Order part.” </p>
<p>“There’s an old cruiser on the west ridge. Stripped for parts.” It had to be him. She was unaccountably nervous, which was ridiculous. Regardless the only way she would find out is to reveal herself.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“The one we were assigned to. The one we escaped in.” </p>
<p>Finn was awestruck. Assigned? Escaped? Her words sent a shock of electricity through him. </p>
<p>That meant…he wasn’t the only one. He dropped the engine repairs and gave Jannah his full attention. </p>
<p>“TZ-1719. Stormtrooper.” She recited. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>In that moment two worlds overlayed themselves on top of each other. </p>
<p>“FN-2187.” He recited back.</p>
<p>Jannah drew in her breath with awe. It was him. The first one. The first one to lay down his arms. The one whose actions had been whispered about from stormtrooper to stormtrooper, company to company, destroyer to destroyer. A stormtrooper could make a choice. A stormtrooper could make a different choice. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I never knew there were more," Finn said in wonder.</p>
<p>“Deserters? All of us here were stormtroopers. We mutinied at the battle of Ansett island. They told us to fire on civilians. We wouldn’t do it. We laid our weapons down.”</p>
<p>“All of you?” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“The whole company. I don’t even know how it happened. It wasn’t even a decision really. It was like…”</p>
<p>“An instinct. A feeling.”</p>
<p>“A feeling.”</p>
<p>“The Force.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Finn had yet to tell the two people he loved most, but it felt right to tell Jannah.  They might have just met but she was not a stranger.  She was like him, a defected stormtrooper, maybe even Force-sensitive.  As he told Jannah, he knew now it was the Force that gave him the strength not to kill when he had been programmed to his whole life.  The Force that brought him to Poe.  The Force that brought him to Rey, to the Resistance, and now to Jannah.  This was their destiny.  </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Suddenly Poe was shouting Rey’s name with BB8’s frantic whoops echoing him.  Instinctively Finn grabbed macrobinoculars and the whole contingent went thundering down the Falcon’s ramp. They wouldn’t have known she had gone for hours if it weren’t for BB8.  Rey had taken Jannah’s skimmer alone into the wild massive waves. </p>
<p>	“We’ll get the Falcon fixed and get out there as soon as we can.” Poe was beside himself with fear, but remaining calm so that he could lead them forward.  </p>
<p>	“No, we’re going to lose her!” Finn panicked.   </p>
<p>I’m losing everything, thought Poe.  “She left us!” I’m still here, for kriff’s sake.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Finn realized Rey had left them.  And he was hurt that she left, just as Poe was.  Even more than that though, Finn was afraid.  Afraid that they would lose Rey to Ren.  Not just that Kylo Ren might kill her, but worse, that she might in fact lose herself to the dark side.  Rey told Finn that she had seen a vision of herself with Kylo Ren on the Sith throne.  She was rattled by it.  Finn was rattled by it.  He knew loneliness was part of what had turned Ben into Kylo, and he knew that Rey had felt lonely her entire life.  That was why she needed him, and Poe, and Chewie.  They couldn’t leave her, even when she was trying to leave them.  </p>
<p> “What do you want to do?” Poe spluttered with rage and hurt. “Swim?”</p>
<p>	“She’s not herself.  You have no idea what’s she’s fighting.”</p>
<p> 	Poe whipped around in blind fury.  He knew he didn’t know because he hadn’t been able to break into that small circle of Rey’s trust despite their friendship, despite the fact that he really did love her, even though he was losing Finn to her. “And you do?” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>	Finn paused.  If he was completely honest, he wasn’t sure he did.  But he wanted to, and he certainly wasn’t going to give Poe the satisfaction of his uncertainty.  “Yeah…and so does Leia.”</p>
<p>	Finn was angry, afraid, and desperate. He wanted to push Poe, to appeal to the person whose wisdom Poe held higher than any other.</p>
<p>	“Well, I’m not Leia!” Poe cried out</p>
<p>	“That’s for damn sure.” Finn spat.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>	Finn strode off, leaving Poe devastated and completely adrift. He had never felt this alone.  He used to like that aloneness, to be the one, a hero, standing tall above all others, making big decisions, taking huge risks, a string of successes, a string of lovers, always pushing on ahead. He had learned from Leia, and from his mistakes.  He knew being alone was not how they were going to win the war.  Being alone was not what he wanted.  Now the person he was most connected to thought him a failure and was abandoning him.  He didn’t know that Finn desperately wished he hadn’t said those words the moment he had turned his back.  They were probably going to die in this war, and it was just one more unsaid thing between them.   </p>
<p>	Finn strode towards the ocean as if he would walk right out onto the water. Jannah paused a moment. Finn told her the Force was real…maybe…but Jannah shook herself. If he could do that, he’d have done it when they first arrived. But Rey was a Jedi and able to pilot the skinner through the storm. Maybe Finn could pilot through the storm too. Because she had another skinner.  </p>
<p>	Jannah went to where her people kept them. She told them, the other defected stormtroopers, about Finn. He was indeed the one they had heard about, who had defected rescuing  a leader in the Resistance and becoming one himself. As far as they were concerned, he was already their Jedi, and if he wanted to head out in a storm on a skimmer after the other Jedi, then Jannah would go with him.  They would help any way they could.</p>
<p>Poe was burying his despair in the fixing of the Falcon. Chewie had taken over the work Finn had been doing. No one realized that Jannah and Finn had gone.   Jannah was right though. Finn could pilot the skimmer. Jannah and Finn reached the ruins of the Death Star. They could see Rey and Kylo far ahead of them, their lightsabers clashing in between gargantuan waves drenching them all.  	</p>
<p>Jannah said nothing but watched Finn as he ran after Rey screaming her name over and over.  Some logical part of Finn’s brain knew that screaming Rey’s name in the middle of a light saber duel was a stupid thing to do if he wanted her to survive that duel.  But his heart was not listening to his brain. I’m losing everything, Finn thought.	</p>
<p>	Rey had told Finn back on Ajan Kloss that she needed to go alone.  Yes, Finn had said, alone with friends.  And it had been wonderful being together.  Rey did love Finn, and Chewie, and Poe, and BB8, and even C3PO and D-O.  But she needed to follow this through with Kylo Ren, Ben Solo, both of them, alone.  Finn just wouldn’t listen and he kept shouting, kept trying to come closer. So she used the Force against Finn, slammed him back away from her, despite the fact that he and Jannah could have plunged to their death in the turbulent sea.  Rey had her own agenda, and it was done.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>	Jannah grabbed Finn keeping him from sliding into the sea. “We can’t follow them.”</p>
<p>“I can’t leave her,” Finn yelled. </p>
<p>“We can’t!”</p>
<p>“Rey!” Finn screamed uselessly one more time. Then he saw Kylo’s ship rise up. It wasn’t Kylo Ren in that ship though, and Finn knew it.  </p>
<p>	When Jannah and Finn returned, alone and soaking wet, Poe took one look at Finn’s face and plugged in the flight coordinates for base.  After that Poe didn’t look at Finn at all, which was worse for Finn.  It’s not like they hadn’t fought before.  They were passionate people.  But Poe was never silent, never until now.  </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Poe noticed the almost deferential way Jannah treated Finn.  A week ago it would have made him jealous as he saw how connected Finn was to her already.  However, it was as if everything were happening very, very far away and all the edges were ground down. The Falcon was fixed. Rey was gone. They had nothing left to do but return and report to the General. </p>
<p>	“We could use you in the Resistance,” Poe told Jannah.  “If you and your people want to come.”  </p>
<p>	Jannah scrutinized him.  “We’re all ex-stormtroopers here.”  Enemies.</p>
<p>	“The Resistance loves ex-stormtroopers,” Poe said with just a trace of his old charming self. </p>
<p>	Finn blinked back the tears trying to spill down his face. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>	Poe held out his hand to Jannah.  It hung in the air for what felt like hours.  Then she took it. </p>
<p>	Jannah and her whole crew joined them on the Falcon.  They had been long enough in this place so tied to the birth and death of the Empire.  Now those who had been taken at birth to build the might of the First Order would be a part of its death.  Company 77 was cheerful on the flight. Having a higher purpose raises one’s spirit, even if that purpose seems likely to lead to death.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Starting</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I.	Leia</p>
<p>The others were not cheerful to say the least.  Leia had said this mission was everything, that they could not fail.  But now they had no location, no wayfinder, and no Rey.  Finn had said to Jannah that he could not leave Rey.  But Rey had left him, flying away in Ren’s ship.  They had no choice, so they flew back to Ajan Kloss quiet and heavy, except for C3PO who kept up a prattle that no one was listening to, mournful chirps from BB8, and D-O who kept asking where Rey had gone. Droids sure did love that girl.    </p>
<p>Poe landed the Falcon with grim determination.  They pushed past Commander D’Acy to give Leia their report, halted only by Larma’s words ‘she’s gone.’  </p>
<p>Poe looked to Finn like a man trying to grab a line as he drowned.  Chewie fell to the ground, his guttural grief echoed over the base.  Poe and Finn stood on either side, wanting to comfort him but not knowing how.  The three of them were hollowed out husks bleeding out the last bits of what held them together.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Before Crait when Leia had been unconscious and the rest of the leadership dead, Poe had thought he would be promoted to lead the fleet.  He had been disappointed and angry when it had been Vice Admiral Holdo instead, even though she did outrank him.  This time General Organza had put him in charge.  He was in charge of the Fleet, of the Resistance.  But this time he didn’t want it.</p>
<p>Poe listened to everyone's status reports. Everyone was waiting for his direction.  Rose had rebuilt all their ships.  Beaumont had translated and studied, gathering all he could from the Jedi texts.  Still the steps forward were unclear.  Kijimi was destroyed with one shot from one ship, another friend gone.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Poe withdrew to the cave where Leia’s body rested to seek wisdom from the spirit of the woman who had been his guide, his teacher, his master.  Poe’s grief for her was overwhelming.  It mingled with his grief for his mother, and he was a child again abandoned by everyone.  He didn’t know how he was going to go on puting one foot in front of the other much less leading the entire Resistance.  </p>
<p>“I got to tell you,” Poe prayed to Leia.  “I don’t really know how to do this.  What you did.  I’m not ready.”</p>
<p>“Neither did we.  Luke. Han. Leia. Me.”  </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Lando Calrissian had entered hearing Poe words.  Lando had come back even though he had told Rey his flying days were over.  </p>
<p>“Who’s ever ready?” </p>
<p>Lando believed in Poe, just as Leia had.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“How did you do it?” Poe asked.</p>
<p>Lando smiled that wide confident smile.  “We had each other.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Poe knew what he needed.  He knew what Leia had been telling him.  He didn’t have to do this alone.  He needed Finn.  Finn was his partner in the Resistance, if not in life, and Poe wanted him in command with him.  Finn kept Poe steady.  Finn’s enduring drive to never give up and the commitment Finn had found not just to his friends but also to the Resistance would keep Poe’s faith strong.  </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’ve got to talk to you about something,” Finn said striding towards Poe as if they hadn’t just spent days without speaking. </p>
<p>“I’ve got to talk to you about something,” Poe said back striding towards Finn with the air of command that made Finn’s temperature shoot up ten degrees.</p>
<p>“I can’t do this alone,” Poe said fervently.  “I need you in command with me.”  </p>
<p>“This droid has – “ Finn started to say, and then heard what Poe had just told him.  </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The urge to throw his arms around Poe, pull in his beautiful body, and answer, I need you in life with me flashed through him like a javelin.  But there was a war, and he had vital information, so all he choked out was, “Thanks for that.” </p>
<p>“General,” Poe promoted Finn with a purr.</p>
<p>“General,” Finn leaned in breathily, but then pulled away.  “This droid – “</p>
<p> </p>
<p>II.	Poe</p>
<p> </p>
<p>When Poe laid out the plan, beings were unsure  and afraid.  How could they possibly survive, much less win when they were, as Nunb had said, like gnats to the army of the Sith.  However, Finn had a plan and determination.  Rey had come back. Not to them but to Exegol, and she was telegraphing the way.  And Poe, Poe had the hope that lit the spark of all their faith.</p>
<p>“We’ve got friends out there.  They’ll come if they know there’s hope.  They will.  The First Order wins by making us think we’re alone.  We’re not alone.  Good people will fight if we lead them.  Leia never gave up.  Neither will we.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Welcome to Exegol,” Po quipped with his usual kriff-you-death attitude lifting everyone out of their panic, despite the massive size of the Sith fleet.  </p>
<p>The desperate attack commenced. Finn’s ground troops astride Company 77’s massive orbaks tore down thundered down the top of the outside of the command ship.  The pilots were protecting them, while also being taken out one by one.  Poe screamed internally as Snap died, Nien died, his friends, his pilots. There wouldn’t be any of them left soon.  </p>
<p>“Poe – Poe, what do we do?” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Poe’s spirit started to plummet along with the lives and ships of the Resistance. Now, they were going to die. They were all going to die, following him. And he and Finn never, well, they hadn't even said goodbye.</p>
<p> “I’m – sorry,” Poe’s voice cracked with grief.  “I thought we had a shot…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Suddenly the destroyer he’d been flying toward exploded and he heard over the Resistance frequency.  “So long, sky trash!”  </p>
<p>Poe dared again to hope.  “Who is that??”</p>
<p>“Take a guess, spice runner!” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Poe’s spirit soared again with gratitude.  By all odds Zorri survived.  She left before Kijimi was obliterated, and showed up in the end.  Maybe, just maybe they would win in the end.</p>
<p>Flipping his x-wing in an impossible turn, he saw 14,000 ships.  Lando and Chewie had done it.  Poe had been right.  They weren’t alone.  14,000 civilians believed there was hope, and they came.  Poe called out in joy to the person that made everything real for him.  </p>
<p>“Finn, you seeing this?”</p>
<p>“Finn didn’t board the lander,” Rose said despairingly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Poe’s heart constricted.  He was not losing Finn now. </p>
<p> “I see him.  I’m going to get them.”</p>
<p>“General,” Rose dissuaded. “You won’t make it.” </p>
<p>She didn’t want them both to die.</p>
<p>“Trust me.” All Poe’s brash confidence had returned.  “I’m fast.”</p>
<p>They were going to win, and there was no way he was leaving without Finn. None of it was worth anything without Finn.   <br/>“Not as fast as this ship!” Lando crowed swooping in with the Falcon and scooping up Finn and Jannah, just as the ‘sky trash’ started to plummet.  </p>
<p>III.	Finn</p>
<p>Finn and Jannah raced down the hall of the Falcon.  He was eager to get to the gunner’s chair.  Unexpectedly all the air left his lungs. </p>
<p>“No, Rey,” he gasped.  </p>
<p>Finn started to collapse but Jannah caught him.  Finn felt Rey die.  How could they lose her right at the moment they were winning?  </p>
<p>Then even as he was leaning against Jannah in shock and disbelief, he started to feel something growing.  What was happening?  Where there had been death, Finn felt the slow awakening of life.  Rey was alive again.  It couldn’t be possible.  But Finn knew it was true.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Finn straightened up, gave Jannah a brilliant inscrutable smile, and ran on to the gunner’s chair.  He was going to take some more out even as the fleet was leaving in victory.  He was alive.  Rey was alive.  Poe was alive.  Chewie, the droids, Rose, Jannah, they were alive.  Leia’s life was over, but her spirit had joined the Jedi.  She had reached her son.  The battle she had begun, the long battle against tyranny, was won. And the ‘Final’ Order?  The Final Order was dead in the sky.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>IV. Jedi Storm Pilot 	</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The entire Fleet, Resistance and civilian, returned to Ajan Kloss.  Friends, family, strangers who were now comrades reunited, weeping, mourning, and celebrating all at the same time.  Rose hugged Chewie.  Maz brought him Leia’s medal.  </p>
<p>Poe saw Zorii and gave her a wide smile, but didn’t move towards her.  He wondered for a flash, could he move on from his love of Finn with her?  He cocked his head with the question.  She shook her head.  She knew them both well enough to know there wasn’t anything there.  Besides, Poe might be blind or foolish enough not to see Finn’s jealousy but she wasn’t. Poe shrugged and turned away, continuing his search for the person without whom he knew he would never be whole.  </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Beings were patting patting Finn on the back.  He smiled but without stopping scanning, scanning.  Where was he?  Then every other sight faded to a blur as he saw Poe pointing at him.  There he is, Finn’s whole body sang.  They ran to each other, just as they had at D’qar.  When their bodies met, they both groaned with the joy and the need they felt. They broke apart, but only just slightly, their bodies still pressed close, their hands still holding each other’s shoulders, their arms around each other in a circle they never wanted to break.  Looking into each other’s eyes something new passed between them.  They saw each other’s heart, saw the love in each other’s eyes.  The love that had always been there but now, finally, was laid bare.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Somehow Finn and Poe both felt Rey see them.  They released each other partially and all three of them raced into each other’s arms.  Finn wept holding the two people who were everything to him, his love, his family.  Poe squeezed Rey’s hand around Finn’s back. They stayed holding one another long after everyone else had gone from the landing area. They couldn’t let go. They couldn’t believe they were alive and free, and together.  Together at the end, together at the start of a new adventure, beginning on the first free night the Galaxy had known in 30 years.</p>
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